Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As patron of the Joondalup Men's Shed, which is currently based at the former Padbury Senior High School site, I'm pleased to advocate for new premises for the group to meet in, and from which to operate their workshop. A purpose-built facility with a suitable long-term lease will provide the group with future certainty. More than 200 local men actively participate in the Joondalup Men's Shed. The median age of members is 65, with the youngest member being 18 years old and the oldest member aged 85.

The Joondalup Men's Shed raises funds through sponsorship and fundraising activities, such as sausage sizzles and selling handcrafted items at community fairs, in a bid to be financially self-sustainable. In addition to developing hands-on skills through practical, productive activity in the areas of woodwork, metalwork and craftsmanship the group provides friendship in a place which reaffirms the positive aspects of masculinity. Men enjoy the lack of compulsion, opportunities for hands-on productive activity, mentoring, socialising and belonging. Men can enjoy getting out of the house. Men's sheds can provide a place for some men to start to talk about a whole range of life issues, including mental health and wellbeing.

The men's shed movement promotes the positive value of leisure activity and friendship with other men, contributing to better health, fitness, relationships and emotional wellbeing. It provides a supportive environment, helping to cope with life challenges associated with unemployment, separation, ageing, disability and retirement. The men's shed movement encourages local men to develop, share and enjoy lives and identities beyond work and home. I commend the men's shed for their generous assistance provided to community groups and the donation of toys, and other handcrafted items, to many deserving local and charitable causes.

In order to meet the needs of current and forecasted membership growth, new premises are required to accommodate the group in the long term and provide certainty going forward. Ideally, the premises will include a spacious workshop area to accommodate machinery, a tools store, materials storage area, meeting room, kitchen, general purpose activity areas and associated car parking facilities. The facility should be spacious and flexible enough to accommodate for future expansion as the local population grows.

A number of sources of grants are available to secure the necessary equipment, tools and furniture required, including possible funding through Lotterywest. The local business community can also get behind the men's shed by providing financial sponsorships or equipment and materials in kind. A proposed site has been identified in the Winton Road business park in Joondalup, which will require renovation and extension to meet the needs of the group. The proposed venue is well located and accessible by public transport.

The City of Joondalup council has been very supportive in making provision of $2.7 million in its 2018-19 budget for the relocation into new premises. I commend Mayor Albert Jacob and councillors for their support of the Joondalup Men's Shed and look forward to working with the City of Joondalup and the WA state government, to bring all three levels of government—local, state and federal—to work co-operatively together with the private sector to secure the necessarily funding and corporate sponsorship for the new premises.

I understand that a detailed report is due to be presented to a future council meeting for approval. I acknowledge the dedication of president Bob Allen, secretary John Spence and treasurer Michael Robinson over many years in working to secure a more permanent location for our local Joondalup Men's Shed.